Examining the impact of formula milk marketing on infant feeding decisions and practices
Multi-country study commissioned by UNICEF and WHO, 2022
About
How marketing of formula milk influences our decisions on infant feeding, systematically examines women’s and health professionals’ experiences of formula milk marketing. The largest ever study of its kind, it draws on surveys with over 8 500 pregnant women and mothers of young children (aged 0-18 months) across eight countries, and more than 300 health professionals.
The study, commissioned by WHO and UNICEF, was undertaken between August 2019 and April 2021 by a specialist research team with commercial marketing and behavior change expertise, and conducted in eight countries – Bangladesh, China, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, South Africa, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK), and Viet Nam. The report exposes the aggressive marketing practices used by the formula milk industry, and highlights impacts on families' decisions about how to feed their infants and young children.
